Valentine’s Day generally draws mixed feelings, with some hailing it as one of the most romantic days of the year and others rubbishing it, saying it is an excuse for card manufacturers and florists to make money.

But it was a Valentine’s card that brought one Beaconsfield couple together.

Estate agent Sharon Hewitt met now-husband Paul almost 30 years ago when she was helping to sell his house.

She told the Bucks Free Press she called him more often than was strictly necessary after falling for him, asking how viewings had gone and if she could help with anything.

She said: “Eventually I decided to send him a Valentine’s card.

“When I sent it I thought I could either lose my job or gain a boyfriend.”

She wrote in the card, which had a forever bear on it: “From a young professional (female) to a young professional (male). Have a nice day. A clue to my identity is in our home.”

Mrs Hewitt, 53, said it took Paul, 58, a few days to figure out the card had been sent by her – and the rest, she says, is history.

The couple has lived in Beaconsfield for around 25 years and have two children together. They were married in 1991, a year after they met and still give each other forever bear cards every year on Valentine’s Day to mark their anniversary.

Mrs Hewitt said: “It was worth the gamble. For us, if it wasn’t for Valentine’s Day we wouldn’t be together.

“It is very important to us. There is a lot of cynicism around it and people say it’s a way for card companies to make money but it’s not like that at all for us.

“It worked out really well. We are very happy.”